


By The Light of Crappy Reality TV

by suzvoy



Category: As the World Turns
Genre: Episode Related, Fluff and Angst, Luke has Noah issues, M/M, Reid is a good boyfriend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-08-14
Updated: 2010-08-14
Packaged: 2019-07-16 15:01:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16088504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/suzvoy/pseuds/suzvoy
Summary: Luke needs to work out his Noah issues. Luckily, Reid is just the guy to help him through it.





	By The Light of Crappy Reality TV

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally written based on the spoilers in a ATWT promo that showed Noah telling Luke that Reid was cheating on him. It was, of course, rendered entirely non-canon after the episode actually aired :P Rated PG.
> 
> Feedback would be fabulous! Many thanks to my wonderful girls, nel and d :D *MWA*

The entire drive over, Luke had been debating how to bring the subject up. It was only as the door to Reid's apartment swung open that he knew exactly what to say.

"So, Noah told me you've been cheating on me."

Reid paused, mouth open, obviously half-way through whatever greeting he'd been preparing. After a moment he closed his mouth and rolled his eyes. "Of course he did. I probably sacrificed a couple of virgins to the God of Neurology, too."

Luke gave Reid an obvious once-over, smiling as he stepped closer, trying to silently reassure Reid that he hadn't been concerned by Noah's 'news'. "Which would be yourself, of course," he said. "I don't see any virgin blood."

"I showered," Reid responded flatly, before turning away and walking towards the kitchen. From the food laid out on the counter, it was clear he'd been in the middle of his second favourite activity.

Losing his smile, Luke sighed and closed the door behind him. He didn't *really* think Reid had been cheating on him, but he'd been so distant this last week, so not focused on Luke - and yes, he knew how needy that sounded - that he knew something was going on. Frankly, Luke had become used to being the centre of Reid's attention when they were together. The work always came first and there'd been more than a few occasions where they'd been separated by the demands of his job, but when they actually spent time together, just the two of them...

Yeah. Luke had never been happier.

But it was becoming clearer and clearer that Reid wasn't happy, lately. And he suddenly found himself saying that.

"I know you're not happy," Luke blurted out and when Reid swung around to face him, slice of ham in hand, Luke found the courage to keep going. "I know you're worried - really worried - about a patient, but this...it feels like more than that. Things haven't been good between us since Metro last week. I know I've made mistakes about mentioning...my ex," he shot Reid a brief, awkward smile. "I've had all of one relationship before you and while he's still important to me, you're more important, okay?" He took a step closer. "I have no idea what I'm doing, I just know that I love being with you. If something's upsetting you, if something isn't working and we need to fix it, if Noah's ridiculous story is actually true and there's someone else..." The words trailed off as Luke studied Reid carefully. As usual, his face gave little away. "Then we need to talk about it because as much as I care about you, you know that's not the kind of relationship I want and I won't be treated that way."

He was not expecting Reid to start chuckling. The chuckling got louder as Reid tossed the slice of ham onto a plate, shook his head and sauntered over towards Luke.

Luke tried not to feel offended, then realised he had every right to be offended and indulged in his self-righteous indignation, fixing Reid with a glare as he folded his arms across his chest.

"You're a moron," Reid said as he paused in front of Luke. At least he said it with fondness.

That only got him so far. Luke kept his arms firmly crossed. "Because I had some very reasonable concerns and discussed them with you like an adult?"

"No, nothing wrong with that," Reid shook his head, still smiling, both hands reaching up to grasp the sides of Luke's face. "Why the hell would I ever cheat on you?"

Why the-oh! Luke felt a smile beginning, despite himself. "I blackmailed you into coming here?"

"Because you care about the people you love so much, you'd do anything for them," Reid pointed out.

"I'm a rich, spoiled brat?"

"So spoiled you run a charitable foundation, using your own money to help fund a new wing at the hospital."

"My family's endless melodramas?"

"Not so much fun when you're in the middle of them, admittedly," Reid shrugged, "but they're the only entertainment this town has. Plus, I'd stay with you based only on those amazing cookies Emma makes."

"Ah, I see, it's all about the food!"

"As always," Reid nodded, smiling.

Finally uncrossing his arms, Luke placed his hands on either side of Reid's waist and forced himself not to look away as he confronted the one thing he'd been the most worried about. "I invited you inside," he said quietly.

Sighing, Reid's hands fell to Luke's shoulders. "Because I was upset about Noah. Not because it felt right."

It was difficult not to look away from Reid's knowing gaze - but that was exactly what he'd done. They'd been fighting and Luke's response to try and fix it had been to throw the offer of sex out there. "So, I'm not perfect after all," he joked awkwardly. "You might be better off with that guy from the hotel anyway."

Within seconds Reid had pulled away again. "You really are an idiot."

God, Reid's reactions were hard to predict sometimes. "Tell us how you really feel, Dr Genius Oliver."

"I've just spent the last few minutes spelling out exactly why I'm crazy about you and you *still* think I could give a damn about some other guy?"

"I'm sorry I'm not perfect, okay? Not everyone is you."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"That you not having sex with me reminds me a little too much of how things used to be, that there's always some reason, some excuse that leaves me doubting myself so much that I end up kissing my own Grandfather because at least I know he wants me!"

The silence that followed that statement said everything.

Luke had no idea where the hell that'd come from. Reid wasn't the one who'd said no to him, time and time again. Wasn't the one who'd made him so unsure about his own worth that he'd ended up drinking again.

Reid studied him sympathetically. "He really did a number on you," he said quietly.

Luke was only just beginning to realise how true that was. "The first time he kissed me, he yelled at me. He treated me like crap for weeks, until he finally admitted he was gay. After his father attacked me, he didn't come to see me in hospital for weeks - I know it was because he felt guilty, but at the time..." He stared off to one side. "He married an Iraqi girl, Ameera, so she could get her green card. I couldn't touch him for *months*. I wrote their wedding vows," he added humourlessly. "When his father drowned he blamed me for it, because I was there and I should've left him to deal with it by himself. When it looked like he was finally going to forgive me and we'd get back together, he told me he was enlisting. It didn't happen, of course, but I remember Noah sitting in the car taking him away. I was yelling...begging him not to go. He wouldn't even look at me." It was getting harder and harder to speak around the lump in his throat. "When Grandma had cancer again and her new husband kept hitting on me...he wouldn't believe me. He wouldn't believe me." Luke could hear the disbelief present in his own voice. "I mean, he actually thought I would make that up. And when I screwed up majorly and fixed the student election - I can't blame him for telling the truth, it was the right thing to do. But he would barely even talk to me afterward, wanted nothing to do with me, wouldn't even give me a chance. I made a mistake and it felt like he hated me for it." He swallowed hard. "And then there was Mason, his professor, who clearly wanted Noah from the beginning, but whenever I brought it up Noah would say it was ridiculous, that I had it all wrong. And then it turned out I was right, and we were arguing about Mason when the firework went off in Noah's face."

Reid finally said something. "And then I came to Oakdale."

Nodding, Luke was still looking off to one side. "He's still never apologised for that, you know? For blaming me? The way he acted...the things he said." He closed his eyes, remembering the shame and shock he'd felt. "He apologised for the way he spoke to me. But he's still never said the accident wasn't my fault. Never."

"Luke."

He opened his eyes to see Reid stepping closer.

"And while on one level I *know* you're not him, I still...keep expecting it to happen. To feel like I'm doing something wrong."

And then something really, really strange happened.

Luke didn't know what to say for a moment.

"Are you hugging me?"

"Yeah."

That's what he thought. "I don't think you've ever hugged me before."

"No."

Closing his eyes, Luke hugged him back fiercely. "Didn't think you were big on hugging."

"Not unless it's really necessary." Reid rubbed a hand slowly over Luke's back.

"Clearly this is an emergency situation," Luke joked, sniffing back a few tears that were trying to escape.

Eventually, Reid pulled back to look at his face again, still holding on to Luke's arms. "I've told you before that I don't play games." Luke nodded. "When I'm with you, there's never going to be anyone else for me."

He sniffed, feeling a little better. "Oka-"

"Because I'm in love with you."

Luke's brain promptly came to a screeching halt.

"Now, I can't say what that means to him," Reid continued calmly, like he hadn't just dropped a bomb as big as that one, "but to me that means treating you with respect. Being honest, even if it isn't pretty. Calling you on something if you're being an idiot - which I expect back from you, not that it should ever be an issue," he joked lightly, then smiled reassuringly. "There is nothing going on between me and the guy at the hotel. He's straight. I want to tell you what's going on, but there are confidentiality issues to deal with."

Blinking, Luke managed to force some words out. "Is this about that patient?"

Reid nodded. "I want to be able to talk to you about it - God knows it'd make things a lot less stressful for me - but he's asked me, as a doctor, not to talk to anyone. I think he's being a moron, but it's his choice. That said," his hands moved back up to Luke's face, "if you needed to know - and it's not like you don't have many, extremely understandable issues in this area - if it's a deal breaker, for us...I'd tell you. I'd resent the hell out of you for it," he said truthfully, "but I'd tell you."

"Because you're crazy about me."

"That's pretty much it."

"Because you're in love with me."

Remarkably, after everything he'd already said, that was the moment Reid started to look embarrassed. "Yeah."

Luke was still stuck between shock and _he's in love with me_. Reid was _in love_ with him. _Reid was in love with him._ And had no problem saying it.

Releasing Luke's face, Reid headed back to the kitchen area. "So, you want something to eat? You should treasure this moment, because I rarely share my food with anyon-"

Luke was moving almost before he realised it, grabbing Reid's arm, turning him around and planting a kiss on his lips. Reid stumbled for a moment before finding his footing, grabbing on to Luke's shoulders. Luke's hands went up into Reid's hair and it was so good, so right, that he couldn't stop himself from speaking when he pulled back. "I'm crazy about you, too," he said, excited. "The simplest things with you make me smile like an idiot-"

"So *that's* the reason-"

"Shut up," Luke grinned. "You make me *happy*, and you make me want things and want to make plans and I know I still have a lot to work out, but..." He blushed, forcing himself to continue. "I really, really want to see what you look like naked."

Reid swallowed. "Statements like that are really not helping with my display of stunning restraint."

"I know."

"And it's been a hell of an emotional evening for you, and the last thing you need is me humping against your leg."

Laughing out loud, Luke pressed his forehead against Reid's. "I'm sorry, I know, I'm the worst boyfriend in the entire world. It's just...my mind is all over the place and I'm really messed up but you're _in love with me_ and that's so amazing I can't even begin to tell you and..." Realising just how much he was babbling, Luke forced himself to stop and take a breath. Closing his eyes for a moment, Luke let it out. "Okay." He opened his eyes. "You said something about food."

It was a matter of minutes before they were on the sofa together, Luke pressed tightly against Reid's left side, watching some crappy reality show as they ate some incredibly unhealthy food. When the food was gone and Reid complained about some idiotic move on the TV show, yelling loudly, Luke realised he was in love with him.

Luke hadn't had many moments of clarity, and it was as if everything suddenly snapped into focus. All the things he'd been through. All the things he'd experienced. Being with Reid here, now, was absolutely where he was meant to be.

"What's wrong?"

Blinking, Luke shook his head and focused on Reid. "Sorry?"

"You've got this...thing...on your face."

Grinning at the description of his facial expression, Luke settled even more comfortably against Reid, wondering how long it'd take him to convince Reid that he was ready. It might actually be kind of fun. "Nothing."

"Sure," Reid replied, sounding unconvinced. "You just like going around wearing goofy expressions for no reason at all."

"You got me," he grinned, resting his head against Reid's shoulder.

Reid didn't say anything at all until the next commercial break.

"So...your grandfather, huh?"

Luke flushed red, knowing he should've been expecting this. "Oh, shut up."

"Was he hot?"

"Shut up!"

~FINIS


End file.
